Emergency-valve.



UNITED STATES T FFTQE.

HARRY A. DOLLEY, OF SCHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

EMERGENCY-VALVE.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

Application filed October 21, 1905. Serial No. 283,778.

prime mover, and its object is to provide a valve which can be opened. and closed slowly in order to regulate the flow of fluid under normal conditions, and alsocan be suddenly closed in response to abnormal or emergency conditions. I

The broader aspects of the invention are covered by the pending application of Richard H. Rice, Serial Number 200,885, which issued as Patent No. 838,455 on. Dec. 11, 1906, and discloses a throttle valve having an upright stein slidable through a stufling box and carrying atransverse yoke whose ends are con nected by toggles with a handwheelhaving a screw-threaded hub adapted to ride up and down on a screw-threaded neck rising from the top of the valve casingconcentrio with the valve stem. When thetoggles have been straightened out or locked, the turning of the wheel causes the valve to open or close slowly to meet normal conditio'ns of regulation. A heavy weight slides freely on an upward extension of the valve stem and is normally held inoperative by a catch. Under abnormal or emergency conditions this weight is automatically released and drops on projecting arms of the toggles, causing said toggles to buckle or flex and permitting the valve stem to be driven downward by the weight, thereby suddenly closing the valve. To reset the device, the weight is lifted by hand until the catch engages with it, and the handwheel is screwed down until the toggles straighten andlock; theparts being then in condition to open the valve as before by turning the handwheelin the opposite direction. This device. works well with small mains, but when built or a size capable of controlling a large conduit, such for instance as a 14 inch main for a 5000 kw. steam turbo-generator, the actuating" weight is so heavy that it cannot be manually handled, since it -weighs some 400 pounds. 1

The present invention :1 therefore consists in the combination with avalve of the class above described, of means for automatically resettmg the weight. The handwheel is preferably replaced by a gear wheel, which meshes with a pinion driven by power. The gweightis normally supported by a latch pivioted on a sleeve which can beslid up and fdown in a guide. The valve stem is extended upward and is screw threaded to mesh with screw-threads in said sleeve. The stem is also keyed tothe yoke, so that it will irotate when the gear wheel is rotated, and will thus oausethe sleeve to rise or. fall in jits guide. 7 stem is greater than that on the neck with which the hub'of the gear wheel engages, so

The pitch of the thread on the that the vertical travel of the sleeve will be greater than that of the gear wheel,1for a given number of revolutions. The result is that when the yoke is raised by the gear wheel, the sleeve a-nd'the weight will rise a greater distance, owing'to the differential screw action, so that the weight will be carried far enough above the yoke togive it an eifective drop when released from the latch. It thusappears that the operation of opening the valve also raises the weight to its operative position.

The accompanying drawing is a sectional elevation of a valve embodying my inven- 'tion.

The valve casing lhas an inlet 2, the outlet not being shown for the reason that it is located in the part that is sectioned away.

The casing has the usual septum 3 contain- ;ing the part which is provided with a re- :movable valve-seat 4. The main valve 5 is tubular and has wings 6 which engage the cylindrical interior surface of the seat and guide the valve in its vertical moveiments in opening and closing.

The lower end of the valve has a head 7 working in guideribs 8 on thecasing, and of suflicient area nearly to balance the valve.

.Seatedon top of the ma n valve, and con-- trolling'the tubular passage through it, is

of the stuliingbox. The valve stem 16 is swiveled in the top of the relay valve and passes up through a stufiing-box 17 at the upper end of a neck 18 rising from the cap 19 of the casing. A yoke 20 is keyed to the 'is a nut 26 which forms the hub of a gear wheel 2?. Links 28 are pivoted to opposite sides of said wheel, and are also pivoted to the longenarms of toggle levers 29 which are fulcr'umed in the outer ends of the yoke 20. The short arms of said levers project above the yoke when the toggles are straightened out. Strong tension springs 30 are connected to the yoke and to the toggle joints, and tend to straighten the toggles and to cause the pivots to pass over the dead center into the locked position.

The Weight 31 surrounds the stem 16 and is preferably a circular disk having a central bore to fit the sleeve 23, and a counterbore to let the weight rest on the yoke without bearing on the nut 21. A latch 32 is pivoted on the sleeve 23, and a spring 33 urges the latch outward to insure its en gaging with an internal shoulder 34 in the central bore of the weight. The tail of the latch is curved downwardly and is of considerable length so that it can be engaged in any position to which it may be carried up or down, by tripping devices, such as the push-rods 3'5, 36, mounted in the standard 25. One rod may be connected to automatic tripping mechanism controlled by the apparatus receiving elastic fluid through the main valve, and. the other rod may be arranged for tripping the latch by hand.

A driving pinion 87 meshes with the gear Wheel 2-7 and is provided with shrouds 38 to keep it in engagement therewith. The shaft- 39 on which the pinion is secured is capable of longitudinal movement in its bearings, so that the pinion can rise or fall with the gear. The shaft can be driven by any suitable power, such as belting, gearing, or an electric or hydraulic motor.

The operation of the device is as follows: The drawing shows the weight dropped, and the valve closed. In order to open the valve and reset the weight, the shaft 39 is rotated, which turns the gear, yoke and valve stem. The nut 26- runs down the ne k 18 to the dotted line position, gradually straightening out the toggles. As the links and the centers, where they lock.

levers approach alinement, the short arms ot the levers engage with and slightly lift the weight, being assisted by the springs 30 which urge the toggle oints past the dead Meanwhile, the rotation oi the screw 22 has drawn down the sleeve 23, so that the latch 32 has passed down into the bore of the weight lllllll 1t f- 1 i r i nnally snaps under the shoulder o-l-. lhe

parts are now in position to open the valve and reset the weight. On rotating the pinion in the opposite direction, the gear wheel begins to ride up the neck 18, lifting the yoke by means of the straightened toggles. The litting of the yoke at first opens the relay valve, permitting the elastic fluid to pass through the tubular main valve and exert a counterbalancing pressure on the head 7. The continued upward movement of the valve stem then begins to open the main valve. The rotation of the stem forces the sleeve upward also away from the yoke, because the pitch of the screw 22 is greater than that on the neck 18. The sleeve being latched to the weight, the latter is lifted oli' the yoke and carried up toward the dotted line position. The wider the main valve is opened, the greater will be the amount of separation livtween the weight and the yoke. \Vhen the main valve has been opened suliiciently to meet the conditions of service, the driving shaft is stopped. Under normal circinnstances, the valve can be regulated at will simply by turning the wheel in one direction or the other. But this movement of the valve is slow, and if an emergency arises calling for a quick closing of the valve, one of the push-rods can be forced inwardly, ripping the latch and letting the weight drop. It strikes on the up 'ardly projecting shortarms of the toggle levers, collapses or breaks down the toggles and comes with full force on the yoke, which, being no longer supported by the toggles, forced downard, carrying with it the valve stem and closing the valve; the dash-pot preventing any shock. The parts then occupy the posi tions shown in the drawing, and the abovedescribed operation of resetting may then be repeated.

It is evident that the mechanism above described is applicable to valves having a hand-wheel instead of a gear wheel, since the differential screw mechanism for raising the weight enables the operator to lift a much heavier weight by hand than is possible. in the previous device hereinbefore mentioned. The word wheel in the following claims is therefore not limited to a power-driven gear wheel, but covers a hand operated wheelas well.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is, 1. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a casing, a valve, an actuating means located exterior to the -cas ing for opening and closing the valve under normal conditions, a connection between the valve and said means'also exterior to the casing, which normally unites them in work ing relation, a motor for rendering the connection inoperative and closing the valve suddenly, and means cooperating with the actuating means for automatically resetting said motor when the valve is opened again by said means. 1

2. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a casing, a valve, a stem for the valve which projects through the casing, stem actuating mechanism including a toggle and connected with the projecting portion of said stem, a device responsive to abnormal conditions for collapsing the toggle and closing the valve, and means 00-' operating with said actuating mechanism for automatically resetting said device when the valve is opened again. i

3. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve -herein, means for moving the valve slowly under normal conditions, one or more 001- lapsible devices which unite the valve and said means, a weight for collapsing said devices and closing the valve suddenly, and

means cooperating with said valve-moving when the valve is opened again.

i. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a Valve therein, a stem for the valve, a wheel for operating the valve under normal conditions, collapsible devices connecting the wheel and the stem, a weight for collapsing said de-.

vices and closing the valve suddenly, and

a means operated by the turning of said wheel for raising said weight to its operative posi" tion when the valve is opened again.

5. in a valve of thecharacter described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, a rotatable stem for said'valve, a wheel for raising and lowering androtating said stem, collapsible connections between said wheel and stem, a welght for collapsing said connections and closing the valve suddenly, and means cooperating with the stem whereby upon the rotation of said stemin opening the valve again the weight is raised to its operative position.

(3. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, a rotatable stem for said valve, a

cally wheel for raising and lowering and rotating said stem, a yoke attached to said stem, toggles connecting said wheel and yoke, a weight for collapsing said toggles, and means actuated by the rotation of said stem for resetting the weight.

7. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, means for operating the valve slowly r der normal conditions, a weight for closing it suddenly under abnormal conditions, and means cooperating with said operating means for lifting said weight to operative p sition faster than the valve is raised when said valve is opened again.

8. in a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve thereinya stem'for the valve having a portion of it screw-threaded, a stem-actuating wheel, a weight for closing said valve suddenly, and a weight-lifting device engaging with the screw-threads on the stem which raises the weight to operative position when the stem is rotated by the wheel to open the valve again'atter it has been closed by said weight.

9. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve Therein, means for operating it under normal conditions,a weight for closing it suddenly under abnormal conditions, and difierential screw mechanism cooperating with said means for opening the valve and raising asaid weight to operative position. i

10. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a Valve therein, a screw-threadedwheel for operating said valve under normal conditions, a lhreaded member on the casing with which the wheel engages, a weight for suddenly closing said valve under abnormal conditions, and a screw cooperating with the f (herein, a rotatable and slidable stem for the valve, a yoke secured to'sald stem, means tor rotating and lifting and lowering said yoke, screw-threads on the stem above said yoke, a sleeve having threads engaging those on the stem, a guide on the casing for the sleeve, "weight concentric with said stem, and means for detachably connecting the weight and the sleeve.

12. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, a stem for the valve having screwthreads on its upper portion, a sleeve having internal threads meshing with those on the stem,'a guide on the casing in which the sleeve is mounted for longitudinal movement, a weight surrounding sald stem, a latch on said sleeve for engaging with said weight,

means for rotating said stem and a device for disengaging the latch and weight under certain conditions.

13. In a *alve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, a stem for the valve having screwthreads on its upper portion, a sleeve having internal threads meshing with those on the stem, a guide on the casing in which the sleeve is mounted for longitudinal movement, a weight surrounding said stem, a latch for suspending the weight which is pivoted on said sleeve and has a depending tail, means for rotating and lifting and lowering said stem, and a device which engages said tail under certain conditions to release the weight from the latch.

let. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, a stem for thevalve, a yoke on said stem, a wheel having a screw-threaded hub, a threaded neck on the casing with which the hub engages, toggles connecting said wheel and yoke, a stationary guide, a sleeve splined therein and inclosing the upper end of said stem, intermeshing screw-threads on said stem and sleeve which are of different pitch from those of thehub, a latch on said sleeve, and a weight surrounding said stem and engageable by said latch.

15. In a valve of the character described, the combination with a casing, of a valve therein, a stem tor the valve, a yoke secured to said stem, a wheel having a screw-threaded hub, a threaded member on the casing with which said hub engages,toggles connecting said wheel and yoke, springs acting to straighten said toggles, a weight arranged to drop 011 said yoke and suddenly close said valve, and means for raising said weight automatically when the valve is opened by turning the wheel.

16. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a casing, a valve therein, an actuator for opening and closing the valve slowly under normal conditions which includes a breakdown connection, a device responsive to abnormal conditions for breaking down the connection and closing the valve suddenly, and means cooperating with the actuator for automatically resetting said device when the valve is opened again by said actuator.

17. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a casing, a valve therein,

an actuator for opening and closing said valve under normal conditions, a device released in response to abnormal conditions which closes the valve suddenly, and means cooperating with the actuator for automatically resetting the device when the valve is opened again by said actuator.

18. In a valve of the character described, the combination of a casing, a valve therein, means for opening and closing the valve under normal conditions, a suspended weight which is released under abnormal conditions to close the valve suddenly, and means for automatically resetting the weight when the valve is opened again.

19. In combination, a casing, a valve located therein, a wheel and stem for opening and closing the valve, a lock for holding the valve in any position to which it may be moved by the wheel, a motor for operating the valve under certain conditions which first releases the lock and thereafter moves the valve, and differentially-acting means eooperating with the wheel for restoring the motor and the lock to their respective positions.

20. In combination, a casing, a valve located therein, a stem connected to the valve, a hand-wheel connected to the stem for opening and closing the valve under normal conditions, a suspended weight for closing the valve suddenly, a device for releasing the weight under abnormal conditions to close the valve, and means also actuated by the wheel for restoring the weight to its operative position.

21. In combination, a casing, a valve therein, a stem for the valve, a wheel operatively connected with the stem for opening and closing the valve under normal conditions, a weight which cooperates with the stem to close the 'alve suddenly under abnormal conditions, a device for suspending the weight so it can move vertically under the influence of gravitation when it is released, mechanism tor disengaging the weight and the device under abnormal conditions, and means actuated by the wheel for resetting the weight.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of October, 1905.

HARRY A. DOLLEY.

Witnesses v BENJAMIN B. HULL, IIELEN ()uronn. 

